Molasses mixing tank



May 5, 19421 HERR 2,281,974

MOLASSES MIXING TANK Filed May 1, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1' y 11942. J. s.HE RR\ 2,281,974

MOLASSES MIXING TANK I Filed May 1, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May5, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFECE MOLASSES MIXING TANK Joseph StanleyHerr, Nottingham, Pa.

Application May 1, 1940, Serial No. 332,826

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a portable feed mixer, and has for its generalobject the provision of automatic apparatus for mixing molasses or othernutrient liquids with stock feeds.

Since the advent of automotive mills, it has become the general practicefor farmers who raise their own feed stuffs to have the feed ground onthe premises by the itinerant mill, and the apparatus of the presentinvention logically follows the mill in affording opportunity for thefarmer to have a complete molasses feed mixed on the premises. Althoughemphasis is placed upon the transportability of the mixer of the presentinvention, it will be understood to those skilled in the art that it maybe equally useful as a fixed piece of apparatus.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a feed mixer with arotor with radial blades having a conveyor pitch, each blade beingoppositely deflected intermediate its ends, so that the rotor whileturning the mix circumferentially, also propells it in one directionadjacent the axis of the rotor, and in the opposite direction adjacentits periphery.

Another object of the invention is to provide a feed mixer in which thefeed is rotated circumferentially, while at the same time beingcirculated axially in opposite directions in the manner above set forth,the mass of feed being brought upward in the course of the rotation ofthe rotor into contact with a tangentially disposed shower or curtain ofmolasses or other liquid ingredient to be incorporated into the feed,issuing as a plurality of jets or streams from a perforated longitudinalpipe arranged above and tangentially with respect to the path ofrotation of the mixing rotor.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a mixer asdescribed, having a hinged conveyor at its anterior end adapted to drawfrom a mass of comminuted feed on the floor or in a bin adjacent theapparatus, and adapted to be raised upon occasion into an inoperativeposition. Other objects of the invention will appear as the followingdescription of a preferred and practical embodiment thereof proceeds.

mixing tank and the associated molasses reservoir;

Figure 3 is a section taken along the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a horizontal section of a portion of the apparatusillustrating the hinged connection of the conveyor with the mixing tank,and other details appurtenant thereto; and

Figure 5 is a section taken along the line 5.5 of Figure l.

Referring now in detail to-the several figures, the reference'characterl represents in general a motor vehicle upon which is mounted a mixingtank 2 and a molasses reservoir 3. The mixing tank is preferably formedwith a cylindrical'bottom 4, which for convenience seats in a depressionformed in the top wall 5 of the molasses tank. The two tanks may bewelded into a unitary structure, or may be secured together in anysuitable manner.

latter being shown as a small internal combustion engine independent ofthe power plant of the motor. The molasses tank, as shown, is alsoprovided with an external depression or offset 1, making room for the,conveyor 8 which is suitably attached in a manner which will presentlybe described, to the side of the mixing tank.

Figure 1 shows that the prime mover is con-- veniently located beneaththe upper end of the conveyor 8. v

The mixing tank is provided with a rotor,

which as a whole is designated by the reference character [0, and whichcomprises a shaft H I journaled in suitable bearings in the opposite endwalls of the mixing tank and concentric with the curvature of the bottomwall 4 of the mixing tank. Said shaft is provided with a plurality ofradial arms [2 arranged longitudinally within the mixing tank throughoutthe length of the shaft H. with two sets of mixing and conveying blades,a peripheral set, the blades 13 of which are relatively broad and whichin their course of revolution sweep close to the cylindrical wall 4 ofthe mixing tank. Said peripheral blades l3 are preferably, but notnecessarily, formed with serrated edges, which assist in the mixing.Said peripheral blades are all deflected in the same direction and atthe same angle, so that they convey the feed which they contact, in onedirection. The arms l2 are alsoprovided with an Said arms areaggregately provided intermediate set of blades l5, the latter beingdeflected in the opposite direction from that of the peripheral bladesl3, so as to propel the feed which they contact in the oppositedirection from that of the peripheral blades l3.

Thus, while the rotor II} is in operation, there is a continuouscirculation of the feed, that which lies adjacent the axis of the rotortraveling in one direction under the urge of the intermediate blades [5,and then turning and traveling in the opposite direction under theinfluence of the peripheral blades. This longitudinal circulation of thefeed is, of course, taking place simultaneously with the generalcircumferential overturn and mixing of the feed incident to the retationof the rotor. It will be observed that the first and last arms areprovided with only the peripheral blades. This is to facilitate scrapingof the feed from the corners of the tank and the absence of theintermediate blades leaves room .1

for the circulating mass to turn the corner in changing the direction ofits axial movement.

The discharge spout I6 is provided with a gate 49 which may be keptclosed as long as desired, so that the feed may be recirculated throughthe mixer as many times as may be necessary or desired.

The shaft H is driven from the prime mover 6 through a gear [1 on theend of said shaft in mesh with a gear l8 on a lay shaft 19, which layshaft is driven by means of a belt and pulley connection 28 from thedrive shaft 2! of the prime mover.

The mixing tank 2 extends above the path of rotation of the blades l3 ofthe rotor, and in its upper part a pipe 22 is longitudinally mounted,said pipe being connected to the eduction side of a molasses pump 23,the induction side of which pump is connected to a pipe 24 which dipsinto the molasses tank 3 and terminates a short distance from the bottomof the molasses tank. That part of the pipe 22 which extendslongitudinally through the mixing tank is provided with a plurality ofspaced perforations 25, along its lower side, through which molassespumped from the molasses tank issues in a series of line streams orjets.

The arrow a in Figure 3 indicates the direction of rotation of themixing rotor, from which it will be observed that the pipe 22 isarranged tangentially with respect to the path of rotation of the rotorblades and on the upwardly moving side of the rotor, so that the curtainformed by the plurality of streams or jets of molasses meets the feedmass as it is moving in an upward direction and in a region remote fromthe vertical diametrical plane passing through the axis of the rotor.

It can be readily visualized by those skilled in the art that the arms[2 and the blades which they carry will be buried under the mass of feedat the region in which the molasses impinges the feed, but that they maybe somewhat exposed when passing through this vertical diametricalplane. Consequently, the tangential arrangement of the pipe 22 assuresthat the molasses will not fall upon the bare blades and arms, andconsequently will not form a sticky mass thereupon, but that it willalways fall upon the feed which is so thorougly mixed by the action ofthe rotor that it is a'substantially dry mixture and will not cling tothe blades and So clog or impair the efficiency of the mix.

The conveyor 8 preferably comprises a cylindrical shell 2%, in which ascrew 21 rotates. the

eration.

helix of said screw being mounted upon a shaft 28 journaled in bearingsin the opposite ends of the shell 26 and having its upper end 29rotatably mounted in a bearing 30 in a hinge pin 3|, the latter havingan enlarged head 32 which rotates in a cylindrical socket 33 suitablysecured to the adjacent side of the mixing tank 2. Said socket has aflange 34 which overhangs the margin of the enlarged head 32 and bymeans of which the hinge pin 3| is retained in said socket. Means, suchas the collar 35, on the outer end of the shaft 28 retains said shaftfrom being longitudinally displaced with respect to the hinge pin 3|.

The shell 26 of the conveyor 8 may be provided at its lower end with ascoop or hopper 36, and at its upper end which has a lateral outlet 37adapted to discharge into the mixing tank. Inasmuch as the conveyor 8,the normal operative position of which is inclined, as shown in Figure1, is to be swung upon occasion to an inoperative position, it isobvious that when in such inoperative position the outlet opening 31will be out of registry with the inlet opening 39 of the mixing tank. Itis, therefore, necessary to provide a closure for the inlet opening 39,this being an arcuate plate 43, carried by the shell 26, and having itsedges, preferably, slidably confined beneath the arcuate tracks 4! and42 secured to the side of the mixing tank. When the conveyor 8 is in theposition shown in Figure 1, the openings 31 and 39 will be in registry.When the conveyor is in an elevated position, the openings 31 and 39will be out of registry, but the plate 40 will be in a positionoccluding the opening 39.

The shaft 28 of the conveyor screw is normally driven by a gear 43 nearthe upper end of said shaft, in mesh with a gear 44 on a lay shaft 45,the latter having a sprocket 46 suitably driven as by the chain 41 froma sprocket 48 on thelay shaft l9. When the conveyor is raised to itsinoperative position, the gears 43 and 44 are out of mesh, and the screw21 is thus put out of op- When the conveyor 8 is loweredto its operativeposition, the gears 43 and M automatically come into mesh.

From the above description it will be apparent that I have devised afeed mixer for incorporating a liquid ingredient such as molasses into acomminuted feed which imparts to the feed While in the process ofmixing, a novel complex movement which not only assures thorough andhomogeneous mixing, but prevents the liquid from coming into directcontact with the parts of the mixer. It is also obvious that I haveprovided feed mixing apparatus which is continuous in operation, whichmay be conveniently transported from place to place, and may be put intooperation without any preliminary make-ready adjustments other thanmerely lowering the conveyor so as to bring its intake end intooperative proximity to the walls of feed.

While I have in the above disclosure described What I believe to'be apreferred and practical embodiment of the invention, it will beunderstood to those skilled in the art that the specific details ofconstruction as herein shown and described are by way of example, andnot to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention defined inthe appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. Feed mixer comprising a mixing tank, a mixing rotor arrangedlongitudinally in the lower part of said tank, a feed inlet opening atone side of said tank above the path of rotation of said rotor, aconveyor hinged at one end exteriorly to the side of .said mixing tankhaving a discharge opening adapted to register with the feed inletopening ofsaid tank when said conveyor is in downwardly inclinedposition, said conveyor including a rotor shaft having a bevel gear at adistance from its hinge connection with said tank, a driving gear withwhich said bevel gear meshes when saidconveyor is in downwardly l0

